South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed Madagascar’s President Colonel Michaël Randrianirina to Pretoria, discussing bilateral relations and regional issues.
The visit follows Madagascar’s turbulent political transition, where former President Andry Rajoelina was ousted amid protests and allegations of authoritarianism.
Randrianirina, a vocal critic of Rajoelina, was arrested in 2023 for instigating a military mutiny but was released in 2024 and later confirmed as president by Madagascar’s constitutional court. South Africa and Madagascar have diplomatic relations since 1994, collaborating on trade, security, and development within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union.
